No School, But Then White House Called

The marquee outside Hillcrest High School ballyhoos an upcoming school board meeting. But first, it appears, the school has considerably bigger fish to fry.

When word started trickling out Wednesday that President Clinton would be visiting the Country Club Hills school, the initial reaction was disbelief. And the story took an even more incredulous turn with the announcement that the president would be stopping by Monday, which had been scheduled as a day off for students because of parent-teacher conferences.

"We are honored to have the president," said Jose Escobedo, a junior. "But we'd rather have the day off."

Instead, all 1,400 students are expected to be on hand to welcome Clinton on Monday, when he is scheduled to appear in the morning to make a speech. And while they're proud he chose their school, for some the pride is mixed with ambivalence.

"Doesn't he remember what a day off means to kids?" said a junior who identified himself only as Mike.

"What's wrong with Tuesday?" he asked, consulting his assignment notebook. "I'm wide open on Tuesday."

Forget it, Mike. The Clinton entourage is expected to roll into town to be welcomed by local hosts, U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-Ill.) and Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch. Seems like the political types are eager to press the flesh in a working-class neighborhood, where "W.H." refers to the White Hen-the school hangout across the street-not that big residence on Pennsylvania Avenue.

"This is really a thrill," said Hillcrest Principal Gwen Lee, who received a call from Reynolds Wednesday to say that the visit was on.

"I thought, `Wow, this is a dream come true,' " said Lee, who met Jimmy Carter in 1976 when she was a teacher at Thornridge High School. "How many people get to meet one president, much less two?"

Country Club Hills reportedly was chosen for the visit for many reasons. The community with a 60 percent black majority among its 15,000 residents and a white mayor, has squarely confronted the problem of gangs and gang violence since November, when there were two shootings at Hillcrest, 17401 Pulaski Rd.

Welch has received what appears to be the enthusiastic support of most residents for measures he has adopted to meet the crime problems. Those have included a 9 p.m. curfew for all residents under 19 and doubling the number of police hours assigned to patrol around the school. In January, five churches sponsored an anti-gang rally.

The aggressive strategy has paid off, said student Starr Nelson.

"Things are definitely better . . . there's a lot less hanging out," said Nelson, a senior. "Although the curfew was tough . . . you had to go everywhere with your parents."

The biggest boost, however, came this month when Country Club Hills received a $238,000 grant from the Justice Department to put three more police officers on the streets.

"I've been here through three administrations," Welch said at the time, "and never have we gotten anything from Washington."

The grant was awarded after Reynolds supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, and some regarded the funding, as well as Clinton's visit, as a payback for that congressional vote. Reynolds, however, disputes that reasoning.

Reynolds himself gives that kind of thinking little credence, arguing that people say everything he accomplishes in Washington comes as a result of that one vote.

But Welch is among those giving Reynolds credit for Clinton's visit. "I think this is Mel's way of saying thanks to the south suburbs," he said.

But the politics of the visit appears to be of little interest to students, regardless of their feelings about giving up a day off.

"This is the biggest thing to ever happen . . . and I'm so glad it happened while I was a senior," said Eva Carter. "It gives me something to write about in everyone's yearbook."